The streets of downtown Black Mountain were transformed into a busy pedestrian thoroughfare, Aug. 9 and 10, as the Sourwood Festival returned for its 48th year.
The annual summer tradition brought thousands of visitors and vendors to the Swannanoa Valley, where handmade crafts, live music and sourwood honey took center stage.
Approximately 176 vendors from across the region lined Cherry Street, Sutton Avenue, Black Mountain Avenue and part of Terry Estates Drive for the two-day event, presented by the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce. The festival, which began in 1977 and borrows its name from the sourwood honey produced in the Appalachian Mountains, hosted a diverse array of family-friendly activities and artisans…